Nap Series: Sleeping in strange places

Sometimes, when I try to do too much, I get “down to the bone” tired. If you’ve experienced it, you know exactly what I mean. It’s that feeling when every part of your body is so tired- your face, fingers, legs, arms – every inch of everything.

Suffering connective tissue diseases or other immune deficiency disorders, severe fatigue is one of the most frequent aliments. But, learning to deal with the fatigue is not so easy. The doctors say, “take a nap” – ya, not so easy sometimes.

If you are a full-time or even a part-time employee, this usually cannot be achieved. Even when you are home and have time for a nap, sometimes it’s not that easy. So, what do you do when the fatigue hits you in strange places and there seems to be no way out?

TIP ONE: FIND A CONVENIENT PLACE TO GET SOME ZZZZ’s

There was one time I was working and went to the bathroom. I was so tired, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. The next thing I knew, I woke up and the bathroom was dark. The stalls were empty, except the one I was in. Yes, I had fallen asleep while peeing. Can you imagine?

After that, I decided to make my own sleeping place. At the time, I had a small SUV. I put a blanket and pillow in the back of my car and keep them handy for anytime I needed to get some quick zzz’s during lunchtime.

So, find your quiet place and turn it into a nap room, no matter where it is. Take a nap at your desk during lunch. Nap with the baby in the toddler bed. Nap on the couch, rocking chair, waiting room, dog park, the movie theater or just anywhere that will help you feel rejuvenated and renewed.

TIP TWO: MAKE SLEEP AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE

Sometimes getting a nap in doesn’t have anything to do about the location of the nap, it has to do with the level of pain and the ability to get comfortable. It could be hip pain, back pain, neck pain or more.

The thing to do is to find something that helps you relax. Rather it’s medication, heating pad, ice or doing stretches, practice the regimen prior to each planned nap, so you can get the best benefits of a relaxing nap.